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Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

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    Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

    I have been working on Version 4.5 since August. I've been able to create my tables and have basically been treating them like my old Q&A flat file DB-no problem. Now I am trying to wrap my mind around the relational db concepts by creating my first simple relational DB. I am working on a simple project -- cataloging my Recording library. I have 3 tables: Recordings, Tunes & Songwriters. I thought I was going strong when I created a set allowing me to see the name of the Recording with all its Tunes and appropriate Songwriters. I realized I was doing something wrong when I couldn't figure out how to code the tunes so I can view the Tune with all the Recordings it is found on. Do I create a "keyword field"(Q&A speak) in the Tune database that accepts multiple ID#s of the Recordings? Is there a site where I can get a primer on developing my tables and sets? I've studied the templates but I can't seem to figure this one out -- I know it must be an extremely basic idea. Thanks for any pushes in the right direction.
    -- Leslie



    #2
    RE: Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

    Hi Leslie

    If you haven't already, check out this site...

    http://www.learn alpha.com/menubar.htm

    Its a great resource and they have several articles on querying / viewing child records in a set.

    Good luck

    Robert

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

      Leslie, I like your approach. However, you've picked a project that is more advanced, and may not be suitable for your first. A name and address database, with linked child table for children's names, would be easier.

      Alpha Five's sets support 1 to 1 links, and 1 to many links. In your example you're confronting a problem that requires a Many to Many linkage. This can be solved in Alpha Five using a three table design in which the middle table serves as an intermediate link. If you're curious, search for message threads involving many to many sets.

      -- tom

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        #4
        RE: Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

        Leslie,

        Bill Hanigsberg's discussion in this thread might be a good place to begin wrestling with N : N linkages.

        http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/alphaphorum/read.php3?sortby=lastreply&direction=desc&num=4&id=51184&thread=51119

        (the url is a single line, ignore the word wrap inserted by the message board).

        -- tom

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          #5
          RE: Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

          I think you can do what you want by creating a second set. Make the Tunes & Songwriters table the parent table in your new set, and make the Recordings table the child table. Create the link as 1 to 1.

          When you wish to search for a Tune with all the recordings it's found on, use your new set. It will return a record for each recording on which the tune is found.

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

            Paul,

            I'm not so sure. I think your inverted set could produce the desired result in a report, where a group break is used for the Tune. The Tune could go in the group header, and the Recordings could go in the group details band.

            However, I don't think you can do this in a form, even using an embedded browse, so long as the link in your inverted set is 1:1.

            -- tom

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              #7
              RE: Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

              ...or it could show what is desired in a browse. I agree that a form would be a problem.

              To some extent I'm a victim of having started with A4v2 and having certain concepts calcify. There were no embeded browses in A4v2.

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                #8
                RE: Creating First Relational DB-Ver 4.5

                Paul, I know what you mean, having started with A4v3.

                -- tom

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